Frank
Top 20
Update of the Chinese contract: the DRC and China in discussions in Beijing
The updating of the "Chinese contract", signed in 2008 by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and China, was on the menu of exchanges in Beijing, between the Congolese delegation and the Chinese party, learned the ACP from Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"After fifteen years of Chinese contracts, they must be updated, comply with the requirements and development needs of the DRC, taking into account the challenges of the moment", reported the source, explaining in essence the subject of the day's discussions between the two parties led respectively by the Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula, and the head of the Chinese “National Reform and Development Commission”, Zheng Shanjie.
Zheng Shanjie promised to sensitize Chinese companies already in the DRC in the mining sector, such as TFM and SICOMINES, on the scrupulous respect of Congolese laws.
“All these contracts will be subject to the memorandum that the two Chinese and Congolese Heads of State will sign one of these mornings for this new dimension of cooperation”, explained the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In addition, files on diplomacy, the environment, finance, infrastructure, mining and digital technology have also been put on the table, so that the objectives guiding this cooperation respond to the context, both national and internationally, we said.
A delegation of six members of the Congolese government accompanied Deputy Prime Minister Christophe Lutundula during these exchanges with the Chinese side.
The DRC for the review of the contract
During the Council of Ministers, held in March 2023, the President of the Republic had mentioned "the imperative need to revisit the agreement signed between the DRC and the Group of Chinese companies (GEC) in April 2008".
Felix Tshisekedi, said so after taking note of the conclusions of the audit carried out by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) on the execution of this Agreement.
According to the IGF, this contract, which had raised a lot of hope at the time, did not keep its promise: that of providing the DRC with a range of the most modern infrastructures.
In 2008, the Agreement signed provided that the group of Chinese companies (GEC) would provide approximately 6 billion USD to finance the infrastructures.
In return, the DRC offered its minerals, mainly cobalt and copper, with an estimated value of 10 million tonnes per year.
To carry out this project, a joint venture called SICOMINES was created.
Despite some readjustments to the initial contract, the rate of completion of infrastructure under this Agreement remains very low.
It is even disillusionment, according to the IGF.
Indeed, only one hospital was built out of the 32 expected.
Kavumu airport and Goma airport have not been rehabilitated as promised.
Around 380 km of roads have been built or rehabilitated out of the 7088 km planned.
Finally, no km of railway was built out of the 380 listed.
In the energy sector, the work of the Katende hydroelectric dam in Kasai is struggling to be finalized, revealed the audit of the General Inspectorate of Finance.
For his part, the Chinese ambassador stationed in the DRC, Zhu Jing, had estimated that this contract is not "win-lose" as attested by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) but rather win-win with regard to data available to the Chinese side.
“Chinese companies do not have the right to say such and such an infrastructure project will be carried out…
All infrastructure projects are decided and proposed by the Congolese government.
The list in question (Editor's note around thirty hospitals, the 3000 km of railway, the Rehabilitation of Kavumu airports,) is not a list of commitments, it is rather a pool of projects that the Congolese government plans to do,” said the Chinese diplomat.
mediacongo
The updating of the "Chinese contract", signed in 2008 by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and China, was on the menu of exchanges in Beijing, between the Congolese delegation and the Chinese party, learned the ACP from Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"After fifteen years of Chinese contracts, they must be updated, comply with the requirements and development needs of the DRC, taking into account the challenges of the moment", reported the source, explaining in essence the subject of the day's discussions between the two parties led respectively by the Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula, and the head of the Chinese “National Reform and Development Commission”, Zheng Shanjie.
Zheng Shanjie promised to sensitize Chinese companies already in the DRC in the mining sector, such as TFM and SICOMINES, on the scrupulous respect of Congolese laws.
“All these contracts will be subject to the memorandum that the two Chinese and Congolese Heads of State will sign one of these mornings for this new dimension of cooperation”, explained the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In addition, files on diplomacy, the environment, finance, infrastructure, mining and digital technology have also been put on the table, so that the objectives guiding this cooperation respond to the context, both national and internationally, we said.
A delegation of six members of the Congolese government accompanied Deputy Prime Minister Christophe Lutundula during these exchanges with the Chinese side.
The DRC for the review of the contract
During the Council of Ministers, held in March 2023, the President of the Republic had mentioned "the imperative need to revisit the agreement signed between the DRC and the Group of Chinese companies (GEC) in April 2008".
Felix Tshisekedi, said so after taking note of the conclusions of the audit carried out by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) on the execution of this Agreement.
According to the IGF, this contract, which had raised a lot of hope at the time, did not keep its promise: that of providing the DRC with a range of the most modern infrastructures.
In 2008, the Agreement signed provided that the group of Chinese companies (GEC) would provide approximately 6 billion USD to finance the infrastructures.
In return, the DRC offered its minerals, mainly cobalt and copper, with an estimated value of 10 million tonnes per year.
To carry out this project, a joint venture called SICOMINES was created.
Despite some readjustments to the initial contract, the rate of completion of infrastructure under this Agreement remains very low.
It is even disillusionment, according to the IGF.
Indeed, only one hospital was built out of the 32 expected.
Kavumu airport and Goma airport have not been rehabilitated as promised.
Around 380 km of roads have been built or rehabilitated out of the 7088 km planned.
Finally, no km of railway was built out of the 380 listed.
In the energy sector, the work of the Katende hydroelectric dam in Kasai is struggling to be finalized, revealed the audit of the General Inspectorate of Finance.
For his part, the Chinese ambassador stationed in the DRC, Zhu Jing, had estimated that this contract is not "win-lose" as attested by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) but rather win-win with regard to data available to the Chinese side.
“Chinese companies do not have the right to say such and such an infrastructure project will be carried out…
All infrastructure projects are decided and proposed by the Congolese government.
The list in question (Editor's note around thirty hospitals, the 3000 km of railway, the Rehabilitation of Kavumu airports,) is not a list of commitments, it is rather a pool of projects that the Congolese government plans to do,” said the Chinese diplomat.
mediacongo